Fútbol, Le Foot, Voetbal, ποδόσφαιρο

[speeeeeeedie]

The Manageress?

Ex US women's boss Jill Ellis allegedly on shortlist for DC Utd job in MLS.

My money is on a publicity stunt here. It's one thing to manage a country with the largest and best selection of women's talent in the world over a tournament. It's another to jump into the grind of a pro job.

[Oldgregg86]

Just came across this. If you haven’t heard is the ghost pass, enjoy

 

[speeeeeeedie]

I'll put this here; Diego Maradona has died.

Maradona dead at 60

He was a genius, a joy to watch, and a cheat. 

Like many geniuses he had flaws. His post football life was colourful. 

Looks like booze got him. 

[Giant]

Maradona, a true football genius, who combined his fantastic talent with an unbelievable will to win. What he did for Argentina, Messi can only dream about. It makes me laugh when people talk about him cheating with his hand of god goal as if it’s the only time cheating ever happened in the game. There are zillions of instances like it in football history.

[Ewood Ace]

Devastating news. RIP to the greatest there has ever been and most likely ever will be. 

[Mashed Potatoes]

Debates will always go on about who was the greatest player ever. All that a player can do is be the best in the era in which they played and Maradona was indisputably the best of his era.

[Vinjay]

37 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

Devastating news. RIP to the greatest there has ever been and most likely ever will be. 

...and Rovers manager if I had my way (suggested August 2010 maybe that's where Venkys got the idea from!) but some things aren't meant to be.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Vinjay

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

Genius of a player. 

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

What a player and what a goal he scored in '86 against England, the goal where he ran from his own half was pretty good too   

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

17 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

What a player and what a goal he scored in '86 against England, the goal where he ran from his own half was pretty good too   

Did he ever play against the England B side that played in green?

[Dreams of 1995]

Henry's goal vs Ireland was better

Three blokes took pictures of Maradonna in his coffin. Yesterday Boca Junior ultras found them, killed two and the other is in critical care. Hooliganism - "The English Disease". 

[Silas]

Just discovered there's an ex-Rovers match about to kick off at 2pm. 

Robbie Fowler v Owen Coyle = East Bengal v Jamshedpur (Indian Super League) 

Fowler's team sit bottom of the table with stats - 3 matches, 0 goals scored, 7 goals conceded. 😮

Coyle has played 4 matches and only lost one.

C'mon Robbie, let's break your duck and get a win on the board! 🤞

[Silas]

Well, Fowler had a man sent off on 25th min, but still held out for a 0-0 draw. 

So, he has his first pt on the board, but team have scored 0 goals in 4 matches.

Fair play to him for managing over in India. He must really love the sport. Fowler net worth is over 30 million, and as far as I can tell managers in that league get about £150k a year. So, he isn't doing it for the pocket money. 

[philipl]

Just 6 are English:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/dec/21/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020

List topped by Sam's planned Rovers signing Robert Lewandowski. 

How a volcanic ash cloud changed our world...

Edited December 24, 2020 by philipl

[JacknOry]

5 hours ago, philipl said:

Just 6 are English:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/dec/21/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020

List topped by Sam's planned Rovers signing Robert Lewandowski. 

How a volcanic ash cloud changed our world...

Why do we need Lewandaowski when we have Roberts?

[arbitro]

I had a vague memory of this incident but never realised the horror the people involved must have gone through. This should resonate with older fans who have stood on packed terraces and exited grounds through inadequate exits.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/B0cJMZS3B1/Fiveboys

[AllRoverAsia]

56 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I had a vague memory of this incident but never realised the horror the people involved must have gone through. This should resonate with older fans who have stood on packed terraces and exited grounds through inadequate exits.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/B0cJMZS3B1/Fiveboys

I remember it happening and being reported on TV but not seeing an in depth report until the TV documentary in 2001 ''The Ibrox Disaster'', I have a copy of that and its probably on YouTube - which has oddly just gone off line this minute, for me anyway.

The worst football crowd experience I have had was being taken to Anfield by a Liverpool mate to watch a European Cup match on a packed standing only Kop. Having my jean legs pissed on was a non event in the bigger picture.

* YouTube came back and there is coverage there

I now see that there is a new documentary, Disclosure - Stairway 13, which I'm now in the process of getting.

Edited December 29, 2020 by AllRoverAsia

[arbitro]

49 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

I remember it happening and being reported on TV but not seeing an in depth report until the TV documentary in 2001 ''The Ibrox Disaster'', I have a copy of that and its probably on YouTube - which has oddly just gone off line this minute, for me anyway.

The worst football crowd experience I have had was being taken to Anfield by a Liverpool mate to watch a European Cup match on a packed standing only Kop. Having my jean legs pissed on was a non event in the bigger picture.

* YouTube came back and there is coverage there

I now see that there is a new documentary, Disclosure - Stairway 13, which I'm now in the process of getting.

The documentary is on BBC iPlayer and is live on BBC Scotland on Sunday at 19.15. I'll watch that.

[AllRoverAsia]

4 minutes ago, arbitro said:

The documentary is on BBC iPlayer and is live on BBC Scotland on Sunday at 19.15. I'll watch that.

Got it, download took less than 4 minutes

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Scottish Premiership:

WELL DONE RANGERS....55 IN SIGHT!!

[Darrenbot]

Copa Libertadores final is tonight at 7.50 on bbc red button or 601 on freeview for anyone interested.Two Brazilian teams in the final Palmeiras v Santos

[Rogerb]

Torino fail to turn up for tonight's game at Lazio due 8 positive covid tests. 3-0 awarded to Lazio and Torino docked a point although Napoli got their point back on appeal for similar in October

[riverholmes]

I've got the general impression that there is dislike for Romelu Lukaku in the game. This was flagrantly reinforced by a recent piece of commentary on Skysports on Lukaku's skilful finish against Czech Republic, for Belgium. I would urge anyone interested to watch it on Youtube - the goal is at 1 min 48 seconds. Latching onto a De Bruyne straight pace, Lukaku ran with the ball and twisted a defender inside and out and finished past the keeper, who managed to get a block on it but not prevent it going in.

Rather than highlight the fantastic run and footwork by Lukaku, the commentator and co-commentator are apparently lost for words and then mainly praise the good, but almost 'regulation' pass, by De Bruyne, with the co-commentator even going as far as to claim that De Bruyne had put it "on a plate" for Lukaku.

More than just a myopic fascination with De Bruyne, I do believe that examples like this are based on a racial bias against recognition of the skill and creativity of black players. A study sponsored by the PFA and published last year showed that commentators are four more times likely to discuss black players in terms of strength and seven times more likely to be discussed in terms of speed. It would be unfair to just focus on commentators - Man Utd, of course, let him go and are now crying out for a striker.

Lukaku has complained of a bias against him that focuses on the physical - as if to reduce his ability to the good fortune of genetics rather than effort, ability and creativity: “It is never about my skill when I am compared to other strikers,” Lukaku said in an interview with The New York Times last year. “My one-on-one dribbling is good. I can do a step-over. I can beat a player. I remember one comment from a journalist that United should not sign Lukaku because he is not an ‘intelligent’ footballer.”

In 2011, there was a scandal in French football when it was reported that a cap had been proposed at youth levels to prevent too many black and Arab players taking positions. Integral to the accusations was head of the French football federations National Technical Board, Francois Blaquart, who said, on being appointed, of the need to  "prioritise intelligence in the game with respect to the technical and, above all, athletic aspect". Head coach, Laurent Blanc, is said to have supported the 30% cap from U14 level in order to support talent sharing sharing "our culture, our history".

I always noted, when Yaya Toure was at Manchester City, what a brilliantly skilful player he was, who could escape the tightest situation and pick out delicate passes. I found it noticeable that he never received the adulation from the football fraternity, most notably commentators, that David Silva received. Silva was regularly described as a magician and a wizard, from what I recall, and Toure was, to my mind, every bit a genius, though, playing a deeper role, often. In fact, I believe he was played at centre back by Barcelona, at times, which, if is the case, would be, again, another black player being judged by his physical attributes rather than his actual abilities.

I recall a Jamie Carragher comment, as a pundit, comparing, Tottenham's Ndombele, with Yaya Toure, when the Spurs player was in and out of the team. Carragher referenced that Ndombele has a big backside and doesn't work hard enough but was great on the ball. Whether that was true or false about Ndombele, it was a lazy comparison, based on stereotype, with one of the most gifted midfielders the Premier League has seen.

I do agree that Lukaku can look awkward on the ball at times and may not be the most technical footballer in the world, but the skill he demonstrates, including in that goal against Czech Republic, is undeniable. The commentary (or non-commentary) reveals, to my mind, a resentment against a player disproving a deeply-rooted stereotype.

As most of us know, when you base your self-esteem primarily on being better than certain others, being proven wrong is both inevitable and painful. Nonetheless, it shouldn't prevent one from giving due credit and needs to be dismantled through education and humility - and not be allowed to malign or impede the livelihoods of others. As much as it isn't right for Lukaku to be treated in such a manner, he has at least, reached success and, really, the concern is how it impacts players who have yet to break through.

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2021 by riverholmes

[K-Hod]

He’s got a record of 1 in 2 at Club and international level in his entire career, baffles me why he gets slated tbh.

[DeeCee]

12 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

He’s got a record of 1 in 2 at Club and international level in his entire career, baffles me why he gets slated tbh.

Poor man's Jason Roberts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joke, Lukaka is an awesome striker, top 5 in the world atm I would suggest?